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Departmental omnibus bill extends sunsets for several health occupations boards and adjusts massage‑therapy board membership
Summary
House Bill 256 is a Department of Health omnibus bill that would extend sunsets for multiple health occupations boards and increase membership on the Board of Massage Therapists; board executives offered operational justifications and advocates asked for a shorter review on the professional counselors board due to licensing delays.
Sarah Case Herron, director of governmental affairs for the Maryland Department of Health, presented House Bill 256 as a departmental omnibus measure. The bill would extend the termination (sunset) provisions for several health occupations boards for five years and increase membership on the Maryland Board of Massage Therapy Examiners by adding one licensed massage therapist and one consumer member (total nine).
Representatives from the Board of Massage Therapy and other boards testified in support, citing increases in complaint volumes, disciplinary caseloads, and the need for broader geographic and ethnic representation. The massage‑board vice chair reported rising disciplinary workload (31 dispositions in FY 2023 and 47 in FY 2024) and said a larger board would help ensure quorums and timely decision making.
Advocates including the Maryland Addiction Directors Council and Maryland Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependents sought a shorter sunset review for the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists, citing persistent delays in licensure and credentialing processes (multiple executive directors in recent years and long application processing times). The board and department witnesses acknowledged staffing shortages and said credentialing committees are working to update application forms and processes.
Ending: The bill drew cross‑cutting testimony from boards and advocates. Supporters asked for favorable action; advocates asked the committee to consider a shorter sunset interval for the counselors board to permit an earlier, targeted review of licensure and processing delays. No formal committee action or vote is recorded in the transcript.
